A finalized design for Centennial Park is likely to be unveiled to the public in February.

City engineer Andre Morin told The Observer Friday he and Beth Gignac, the city's parks and recreation director, have been working diligently with consultants to firm up the final design for Sarnia's waterfront park ahead of the spring construction season.

City staff presented an estimated $2.64-million amenities plan for the park to the public and council last summer. Some of the proposed amenities include a two-way stage with tiered seating, a dual boat launch, a new playground, and an expanded and accessible pathway system.

But Morin said some of the plan may need to be adjusted due to recently-discovered environmental issues.

Some of the possible changes could include reusing a portion of the Dow People Place instead of demolishing it entirely.

“We're still going to try to hit the big things, but it's going to have a bit of a different look and we want to present that to council as the only viable option because we know the $5.5 million is the only envelope we have to work with,” Morin said Friday.

City staff have a $5.5-million budget to finish the remediation and redesign of the park. The first phase of park remediation cost $2.5 million to deal with the 'Great Lawn.'

Fences remain up around sections of the park where remediation work still needs to be done to deal with asbestos, lead and hydrocarbons found in the soil in 2012.

All sections of the park are expected to be reopened by Labour Day.

The Rotary Club of Sarnia Bluewaterland recently donated $150,000 towards the redesign of the park. Funds have been earmarked for a therapeutic park and a recreation area, including playground equipment and potentially fitness equipment for adults.

The club has long been eying the creation of an Alzheimer's garden – or therapeutic garden – in Newton Park, but members decided the use of Centennial Park would instead allow for greater public access, said Henry Kulik, chair of club's Centennial Park gardens committee.

Some features of the therapeutic park are expected to include raised flowerbeds and accessible walkways.

“We started off thinking about Alzheimer's, but this is going beyond that, so that wheelchairs, handicapped, seniors can all be involved in a nice place to go visit,” Rotary president Nancy Dease said Friday.

City staff have been working with Rotary members to come up with a design for the therapeutic park and recreation area.

Plans to push out the park's shoreline may need to be reconsidered as a result of a recent environmental assessment for shoreline protection work.

City staff had been hoping to use that additional land to create a larger walkway and gathering area.

“That's really put a damper on our design, so we've had to rethink that,” he said.

But he pointed out environmental issues are still a priority to address.

“It's an environmental project first, and that's what I think people may have lost sight of at this point is that we're still trying to deal with the environmental concern that lays underneath that park and that's the No. 1 priority.”